Pin and socket terminus assemblies for terminating optical cables

Abstract

An optical cable assembly includes an optical cable having an end. The optical cable includes a plastic optical fiber (POF) having a tip segment that includes a tip surface. The optical cable assembly also includes a socket terminus assembly that terminates the end of the optical cable and is configured to mate with a pin terminus assembly. The socket terminus assembly includes a terminus body having a cable passage. At least a portion of the end of the optical cable extends within the cable passage such that the tip surface of the tip segment of the POF is configured to engage a mating POF of the pin terminus assembly to optically couple the POF to the mating POF.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical cable assembly comprising:
 an optical cable having an end, the optical cable including a plastic optical fiber (POF) having a tip segment that includes a tip surface, the optical cable including a buffer surrounding the POF along a portion of the end of the optical cable; and 
 a socket terminus assembly terminating the end of the optical cable and being configured to mate with a pin terminus assembly, the socket terminus assembly comprising a terminus body having a cable passage and a crimp zone, at least a portion of the end of the optical cable extending within the cable passage such that the tip surface of the tip segment of the POF is configured to engage a mating POF of the pin terminus assembly to optically couple the POF to the mating POF, and wherein at least a portion of the end of the optical cable extends within the cable passage of the terminus body such that the terminus body surrounds the buffer of the optical cable at the crimp zone, wherein the terminus body is crimped over, in engagement with, the buffer of the optical cable at the crimp zone. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the socket terminus assembly comprises a hood having a mating receptacle that extends from the cable passage of the terminus body, the tip segment of the POF extending within the mating receptacle such that the tip surface of the POF is exposed within the mating receptacle, the mating receptacle being configured to receive the mating POF therein such that the tip surface of the POF is engaged with the mating POF. 
     
     
       3. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly does not include a ferrule that extends around the tip segment of the POF. 
     
     
       4. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the optical cable includes a jacket surrounding the buffer along a portion of the end of the optical cable, at least a portion of the jacket is removed to expose the buffer such that an interior surface of the terminus body at the crimp zone engages and partially compresses the buffer when the terminus body is crimped over the buffer. 
     
     
       5. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the terminus body is crimped over the buffer of the optical cable using at least one of a hexagonal crimp or a 4/8 indent crimp. 
     
     
       6. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cable passage of the terminus body extends a length having a larger-diameter segment and a reduced-diameter segment that has a reduced diameter relative to the larger-diameter segment, the end of the optical cable comprising a buffer segment, along which the buffer surrounds the POF, and a POF segment wherein the POF is exposed, the buffer segment extending within the larger-diameter segment of the cable passage, the POF segment extending within the reduced-diameter segment, the crimp zone of the terminus body extending along the larger-diameter segment and the buffer segment. 
     
     
       7. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the terminus body comprises a shoulder that extends radially inwardly within the cable passage, the buffer of the optical cable comprising a buffer end that is engaged with the shoulder of the terminus body. 
     
     
       8. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the optical cable further comprises a strength member and a jacket, the strength member surrounding the buffer along a portion of the end of the optical cable, the jacket surrounding the strength member along a portion of the end of the optical cable, the strength member having a member segment that extends over an end of the terminus body, the socket terminus assembly further comprising a crimp sleeve having a terminus segment and a cable segment that are crimped over, in engagement with, the member segment of the strength member and the jacket, respectively. 
     
     
       9. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the socket terminus assembly comprises a discrete hood that is removably mounted to the terminus body, the hood having a mating receptacle that extends from the cable passage of the terminus body, the tip segment of the POF extending within the mating receptacle such that the tip surface of the POF is exposed within the mating receptacle, the mating receptacle being configured to receive the mating POF therein such that the tip surface of the POF is engaged with the mating POF. 
     
     
       10. The optical cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the socket terminus assembly comprises a hood having a mating receptacle that extends from the cable passage of the terminus body, the tip segment of the POF extending within the mating receptacle such that the tip surface of the POF is exposed within the mating receptacle, the mating receptacle being configured to receive the mating POF therein such that the tip surface of the POF is engaged with the mating POF, wherein the socket terminus assembly does not include an alignment sleeve that is held within the mating receptacle of the hood. 
     
     
       11. The optical cable assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the mating receptacle is tapered radially inward to a neck segment, a radially outer surface of the tip segment of the POF being engaged with an interior wall of the hood at the neck segment. 
     
     
       12. The optical cable assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the POF comprises a core and a cladding that surrounds the core, the cladding comprising the radially outer surface of the tip segment of the POF. 
     
     
       13. The optical cable assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the socket terminus assembly does not include an alignment sleeve that is held within the mating receptacle of the hood.